Washington ? Married people are healthier than other adults, other than a tendency for husbands to pack on some extra pounds, says the National Center for Health Statistics.

The center’s report on Wednesday, based on a survey of more than 125,000 people, didn’t specify reasons. But health statistician Charlotte Schoenborn said there are two major theories.

One is that marriage may be protective of health. For example, married couples may have advantages in terms of economic resources, social and psychological support and encouragement of healthful lifestyles.

A second possibility is “the theory that healthy people get married and stay married, whereas less healthy people either do not marry or are more likely to become separated, divorced or widowed.”

“Overall, this association between marital status and health persists regardless of socio-economic status, education and poverty, where people were born or their ethnicity,” she said.

Married adults were least likely to experience health problems and least likely to engage in risky behaviors, with the exception of being overweight, she said. Currently more than half of all adults are overweight or obese — 56.7 percent — the center said.

The report was based on a survey of 127,545 people in 1999-2002 conducted by the center.

The study found that married people said they had less low back pain, fewer headaches and less psychological stress. They also were less likely to drink and smoke and were more physically active than people in general.

“For most negative health indicators, adults living with a partner had higher rates than married adults: they were more likely to be in fair or poor health, to have some type of limitation of activity for health reasons and to have experienced low back pain and headaches … and serious psychological distress,” Schoenborn reported.